Roses and Hooks /// Harry Hook

Chapter 17: Rose Explosion

Rose's POV (Now that she's back)

I say hi to everyone I see, except for Mal. I refuse to even acknowledge that she's still existing because of what I've been put through. I refuse to let go of Harry's hand now that I finally have him back. I'll die before I ever let anyone take him from me again, so I'm praying that Audrey pulls through on her word.

I'm curled into Harry's chest with Uma standing beside us as we wait on the boys to get back. They had went looking for my brother, and I wince at the thought of poor Gil facing off with the beast. I know what I did was wrong, but I don't take any of it back because it got me what I wanted, which was Harry and my crew.

"Ben!" Mal shouts, and I look over to see the boys all walking out of the woods. I run over to Gil and hug him tightly. He's crying as I hug him, and I have to force myself to not cry. I'm going to be a puddle by the time nightfall hits, and I'd like to not be a blubbering mess when I go home.

"Ah!!" Carlos and Jay scream when they see me, and I grin maddeningly at them.

"Aww, don't tell me that you're scared of little old me." I tease them, and I watch the biggest smile form on Carlos's face. I open my arms as he runs over to me. "How's my favorite De Vil of all time? Sorry for everything I put you through, Carlos."

"Don't worry about it. That wasn't you." Carlos tells me, but I frown. It technically was me because even though I forgave Carlos, Evie, and Ben, part of me still hates them for what they did to me.

"Sorry about the whole 'beast curse' thing, Ben." I tell my brother as I walk over to him. Ben chuckles and hugs me tightly, and I hug him back just as tightly.

"Don't sweat it, Rose. I'm just glad to have you back, and Harry, I can never thank you enough for saving my sister." Ben says to me and Harry, and we both smile at him. Ben then looks over at Uma as Harry and I join her and Gil. "Uma, I knew you'd be here if it meant saving Rose. I told you that you'd be part of the solution, did I not?"

"Yeah, yeah." Uma says with a bright smile as she playfully punches my shoulder. "I couldn't exactly let Rose have all the fun, now, could I?"

"Ben." Mal call to get everyone's attention. "We think Audrey may be hiding at Fairy Cottage. Did she ever take you there?" Mal asks him.

"Every Fairy Godmother's Day." Ben and Rose both answer before looking at each other. "Jinx! Jinx again!" They narrow their eyes at each other. "Jinx and you owe me a grape soda! Ugh!!"

Ben and I throw our hands up in frustration because we couldn't manage to get one up on each other. I shake my head before looking over at Jane.

"Firstly, totally sorry about literally killing your birthday, Jane. Secondly, where's your mother when we need her?" I ask Jane.

"I wish I knew, Rose." Jane says to me, sighing as she explains she had been looking for her mother when she came across the boys in the woods.

"How about Jane and Doug go looking for Fairy Godmother?" Uma suggests, and I frown a little.

"They're going to need muscle. Especially if Audrey gave anyone else the beast curse." I tell Uma, and everyone nods their heads in agreement.

"I would feel better if they had some help." Carlos says, clearly worried about Jane. Thank the stars I didn't kill the poor girl while I was spelled.

"I would, too." Evie says, worried for her new boyfriend Doug. Can't believe I almost missed that happen or could have been the one to kill it.

"Same." Doug and Jane say at the same time because obviously neither of them really knows how to fight.